Busan to Host Korea’s Largest Social Economy Expo

Opening and Closing Ceremonies,
Product Hall, Policy Promotion Hall,
Side Events, and Online Programs
at BEXCO from June 30 to July 2

Busan City will host the "5th Korea Social Economy Expo IN BUSAN" at BEXCO for three days from June 30 to July 2.

Poster of the 5th Korea Social Economy Expo.

The Social Economy Expo is a representative public-private joint event in which central government ministries, local governments, and social economy organizations participate. It is a large-scale festival where visitors can experience and purchase products and services from social economy enterprises across the country in one place. Attendees can also learn about various social economy policies from different government ministries and participate in a range of related events and experiences.

This year’s event, held under the slogan "Busan Social Economy is Good," will feature offline programs such as: ▲ Opening and closing ceremonies ▲ A product hall displaying and selling goods and services from social economy enterprises nationwide, with public and private consulting available ▲ A policy promotion hall introducing social economy policies from central ministries and Busan City ▲ Side events including academic sessions, policy discussions, forums, and various hands-on and participatory programs for citizens. Online programs will also be available, including special online exhibitions, virtual tours, and live commerce broadcasts.

The opening ceremony will take place at 2:00 p.m. on June 30 in Exhibition Hall 1 at BEXCO, with key guests in attendance. The ceremony will feature a themed video presentation and celebratory performances to mark the start of the festival.

The "Participating Companies Product Hall" is organized into six zones by product and service type-Local Zone, Fashion & Beauty Zone, Service Zone, Food Zone, Tech Zone, and Eco Zone-allowing visitors to purchase and experience offerings from social economy enterprises. Public and private consulting booths will also be available to provide advice on sales channels, financing, and more.

The "Policy Promotion Hall" consists of a Social Economy Policy Zone, a Case Sharing Zone (SOCIAL ECONOMY), and a Busan Metropolitan City Zone, introducing key social economy policies from 17 government ministries and Busan City. In particular, a "2030 Expo Special Zone" has been set up to support Busan's bid for the 2030 World Expo through promotional and citizen participation events.

Additionally, a variety of programs have been prepared for both social economy stakeholders and the general public, including: ▲ Free hands-on programs for making eco-friendly and upcycled products ▲ The "Our Neighborhood Win-Win Market," a space for donating and exchanging goods to promote reuse ▲ A talk concert on innovation and growth in the social economy ▲ A special lecture by Julian Quintart, EU Climate Action Goodwill Ambassador ▲ Cultural performances such as fusion Korean traditional music, folk songs, and dance ▲ Social tourism (social tour) programs ▲ Activities like stamp tours, quizzes, and purchase receipt events, all designed for families and citizens to participate together.

Furthermore, a variety of valuable social economy-related events will be held at the BEXCO Convention Hall, including the International Labour Organization (ILO) International Conference on Cooperative Statistics, the Cooperative Day Ceremony, the Social Enterprise Day Ceremony, public procurement briefings, and academic and policy forums.

For citizens unable to visit the venue in person, major events will be streamed live on YouTube via the official website. Online programs such as virtual tours and live commerce broadcasts will also be available. In addition, outstanding social economy products and services will be introduced and sold through online special exhibitions on platforms such as e-Store 36.5, BS SHOP, 11st, LOTTE ON, and Nonghyup’s Buy Social campaign.

The city will provide information and convenience facilities such as an on-site support center, and deploy safety personnel including volunteers to prevent confusion and proactively ensure safety in case of crowding. The three-day expo will prioritize safety, with strict infectious disease control measures, including COVID-19 prevention protocols and an emergency contact network with related agencies.

Mayor Park Hyungjoon emphasized, “The 5th Korea Social Economy Expo, held here in Busan, will help spread sustainable social economy values and revitalize the social economy through participation from various regions and sectors. It will also serve as a stepping stone for Busan’s social economy to reach the next level.” He added, “I encourage all citizens to show great interest and participate so that this expo can be a success.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.